DSB undergoes restructuring

DANISH Railways (DSB) has confirmed that the company is being restructured into two primary divisions: operations, with a focus on operation and maintenance, and commercial, which focuses on customers, products and revenues. The changes will take effect from September 1.

The restructuring merges the previous separate operations and maintenance divisions into a single operations division, which will be led by current director of operations, Mr Anders Egehus. Existing director of maintenance Mr Steen Schougaard Christensen will leave DSB.

"It is my view that the time is right to integrate the two organisations in order to create more simplicity and focus on the way we organise this core area of DSB," says DSB president Mr Flemming Jensen.

In addition, the restructuring establishes a new entity responsible for strategy and rolling stock under the leadership of director Dr Jürgen Müller. This department will lead DSB's strategic work as well as develop existing and purchase new equipment.

Other personnel changes include the appointment of DSB's current head of legal Ms Mette Rosholm as director of personnel and legal, and Ms Susanne Mørch Koch as commercial director.

DSB reported a profit of DKr 386m ($US 59.1m) in the first half of 2015, a fall of DKr 80m compared with the same period in 2014. Passenger revenue also fell by 2% during the first half. However, DSB says this was a better result than expected due to extensive track work taking place across the network. Interest-bearing net debt was reduced by DKr 997m to DKr 8.32bn from DKr 9.31bn at the end of 2014.

"Looking back at DSB as it was in 2011, today in many ways it is a different company," says Mr Peter Schütze, DSB chairman. "DSB today is a more efficient company with a surplus and a significant portion of the debt has been settled. The company has become smaller with a simpler organisation and it is providing better punctuality. DSB can, and must, continue to increase its effectiveness, efficiency and timeliness."